October 23, 2012

“They didn’t want anything to do with it,” the source said. “They thought it was not anything they wanted to be associated with or anything their candidate would want to be associated with.”...

“The operatives close to the Romney campaign believed the man’s story would be the ultimate October Surprise but they got nowhere. People who would have taken the information to the highest levels of Romney’s campaign just wouldn’t touch it."

That's at Radar, linked in the top of the center column at Drudge with the teaser: "Romney says no to Obama cocaine hit..."

Meanwhile, Trump himself is teasing that he's got a "bombshell" he's releasing on Wednesday. It's "something very, very big... It's going to be very big. I know one thing - you will cover it in a very big fashion." It's "large, bordering on gigantic." So, I get it... huge, immense size.

If it's former cocaine use, it's a non-starter, and would go nowhere. I don't like Obama, but unless he's selling secrets to Putin for kilos now, I don't really care what he did in that regard. Many successful, capable people have used drugs, and that is going to become the more and more the case for people of electable age.

A lot of his supporters will just start expecting their share of the Obama stash to include some blow.

Althouse, I've worked for the last 20 years in businesses that were created by venture capitalists.

Years ago, I worked directly for start-ups. That got a little too demanding and difficult, so now I work mostly for firms that are 15 or more years past the start-up stage.

This medium and the technology used to make this medium happen owe a lot to venture capitalists. I don't know how many jobs were created in this business, but I'd wager it's in the hundreds of thousands.

So, venture capitalists are creating one hell of a lot of jobs. Why in the hell isn't this being discussed in this election?

My reaction is that of course Obama bought and sold cocaine in college (and presumably thereafter). He implicitly admitted as much in his book. And the mainstream media, which in 2000 hyped a story that George Bush 25 years ago had been charged with DUI for driving too slow after a night out at a bar with his sister, could not care less. Now, Obama is trying to drag himself to re-election by promising free birth control pills to all women. Interesting country we live in.

"And the mainstream media, which in 2000 hyped a story that George Bush 25 years ago had been charged with DUI for driving too slow after a night out at a bar with his sister, could not care less."

Bush was actually arrested. That makes a difference. He should have immunized himself from the surprise by getting the story out himself, choosing a convenient time to dump it gently some Friday evening in midsummer.

Srry, bagoh20, you are only half right. The sad truth is that if it IS cocaine use, if a REPUBLICAN were found to have "used"--no matter HOW long ago--it would be enough to torpedo (or at least seriously jeopardize his campaign. The typical hypocrisy of our mainstream culture. (e.g., look at how the "October Surprise" airing of W's DUI arrest almost did in his campaign And Ted Kennedy is poster-child#1 in demonstrating that NO amount of "bad behavior" can sink a Donkey's career--Garry Hart notwithstanding) Such things are only "relevant" in politics if they apply to an Elephant..

Bush was actually arrested. That makes a difference. He should have immunized himself from the surprise by getting the story out himself, choosing a convenient time to dump it gently some Friday evening in midsummer.

A DWI is a big thing for Evangelicals to absorb. Cocaine sale or use is not something that would offend Obama's supporters. If Obama had paid for a girl's abortion, likewise no big deal. If a Republican did such a thing, it would destroy his career...After Ted Kennedy, I can't imagine what Democrats would consider a career ending offense. Young Jackson is testing the boundaries and still has not found them.

I realize it is a generational thing (I'm 68) but I'm simply amazed at the casual attitude everyone takes about drug usage even in the distant past in terms of qualification for office. Past hard drug use is an automatic disqualifier for those aspiring to be officers in the armed forces. And we expect so much, much less for their commander? 'Tis a puzzlement..

Fact is, we are being conditioned to simply accept whatever the left's behavior du jour is. It really is mental illness, or worse, amorality borne of the creed of ignorance and hypocrisy courtesy of progresives.

Maybe the bombshell is that he and his mirror are in love and will be wed. I hear NY has allowed same person marriage and now the Donald and Trump can be legally wed. I hear they have already consumated the relationship.

My reaction is that of course Obama bought and sold cocaine in college (and presumably thereafter). He implicitly admitted as much in his book. And the mainstream media, which in 2000 hyped a story that George Bush 25 years ago had been charged with DUI for driving too slow after a night out at a bar with his sister, could not care less

this reminds me of the Dave chapelle joke about shy he wasn't going to vote for Bush. And it wasn't about his policies it was about his character. Chapelle reasoned that it was because bush did coke and you can't have a coke head in office because hell give away stat secrets and stuff for like ten dollars. He then does an impression of bush as a crack addict where he confronts ambassador from another country and he says "sign the treaty. I'll suck your dick!"Very funny routine, ill admit (and Bush's d*ck sucking does get the ambassador to sign the treat) but I'm wondering if Chapelle decided not to vote for Obama because he too was a coke head. Or any lefty for that matter who insinuated that Bush was a coke fiend.By the way, I don't think it's ever actually been proven that Bush did use coke. But that was certainly enough for many lefties to use against Bush. Obama is an admitted coke user and possibly seller.Maybe, to repair the relationship with Israel he should do some d*ck sucking of Netwnyahu. There will be peace in the Middle East at last.I kid of course. But seriously, if the joke is good enough to use on Bush its good enough to use for Obama. Right, Dave chapelle?

Bagoh20 wrote:Try to think of something that would disqualify Obama in the eyes of his remaining supporters.

increasing drone strikes in countries and killing Americans without die process? Keeping Gitmo own?Not trying al Qaeda members in civilian courts? Continuing rendition programs to places that will most likely torture people? Not ending the Patriot Act? Shredding the war powers Act?Nah, none of that would stop someone like Ritmo from voting for Obama. But were it Bush doing it, you can be sure it would get a million lefties to start speaking truth to power and calling for impeachment. It would certainly get Hollywood to make movies about the evil policies.My guess is jake gyllnhalll will vote for Obama. My other guess, there will be no sequel for his Rendition movie, unless of course Romney wins and continues Obama's policy.

Oh youare right about the baby seal bit insofar as it would affect Obama supporters, but what I'm puzzled about is the double-standard applied by the public-at-large. Of course the standard "school-solution" explanation for this is that hardly anyone expects the Donkeys to be virtuous--least of all the Donkeys. So Elephants get tagged by Dems and the MSM with the "hypocrisy" charge when they fail to meet the higher ethical bar they set for themselves. Fair enough, but what does it say for the mind-set/ethics of those "non-rabid" partisan "independents" (i.e., the stereotypical "normal people") who still willingly vote for such people despite such revelations? Yet at the same time nod in approval when Air Force/Naval/WPAcademy cadets--take you're pick--are bounced out of the Academy for the same things while being a member of the "Choom Gang" is viewed as hunky-dory--by these very same people? Call in the psychologists/sociologists..

I have always speculated that Obama's birther problem is not that he wasnt born in Hawaii, its that he represented to Columbia, Harvard, and other people that he was in fact born in Africa. If you read Dreams from my Father, Obama's identity issue is all about race. Thus, it would not surprise me if he started representing that he was born in Africa - it looked cool.

But, now how would Obama explain that? Can he just say he was a stupid kid?

Trump said he was investigating the birther issue.Perhaps Trump got a hold of a document where this representation is made. Maybe an application; or statement or something like that.

I realize it is a generational thing (I'm 68) but I'm simply amazed at the casual attitude everyone takes about drug usage even in the distant past in terms of qualification for office.

My state senator got elected even though he's on record as having used heroin in his "youth" - he can't be more than five years older than me. This pissed me off to no end back in the Nineties when he first replaced his father in the family seat. Big part of why I ended up registering as a Democrat in the 'Oughts - I was so pissed at the local Republican Party.

Well, I'm back now. And I find myself voting for that one-time smack-addled SOB. Although I yelled like hell when people talked about running him for US Senate. Best the silly sonofabitch be our *local* embarrassment, you know?

I agree that using, or even selling, coke back in college wouldn't mean much. But what if (hypothetically) he was still using coke, or even just smoking dope, in the Illinois statehouse? In the U.S. Senate? In the White House? And I don't just mean using while he was an elected official, I mean using on state or federal property? Surely something like that would bother at least a few of his supporters?

I too think Obama may have represented that he was born in Kenya on some college admission form or other document. And maybe that he also was a Cherokee.

Ann switches the subject: "Bush was actually arrested. That makes a difference. He should have immunized himself from the surprise by getting the story out himself, choosing a convenient time to dump it gently some Friday evening in midsummer."

Sure, as a matter of tactics,Bush should have done that. But we are talking about media reaction. Obama "got the story" out on cocaine" and the media has ignored it. Do you think Bush (or any republican) could have accomplished that?

Also, Trump stuff is usually a self promoting yawn. This might be different. And, it might have some effect. There is little time left. Obama is in trouble. For a day or two to be devoted to the latest Trump expose might hurt in terms of just sucking up oxygen.

Romney likely was smart to stay away. Hard to see how it hurts him unless he messes up the response badly.

Maybe Trump investigated Obama's applications to other law schools. I doubt such applications would be confidential and they probably still exist; law schools probably would make them available for study.

I'll go with the "Obama represented himself to have been born in Kenya" theory myself. It seems like the most likely thing to find some evidence of. Other conspiracy theories -- pure birtherism, Obama's father is not Obama Sr., Ayers wrote Dreams of My Father -- are simply unprovable. (Unless someone was dumpster diving outside Ayers' house and found a box full of draft chapters!)

The way to spin it into a campaign issue is to tie it to the Obama administration's crackdown (pun not intended) on medical marijuana.

The charge is the classic: Hypocrite!

If Obama dealt drugs in college AND authorized raids on state licensed medical marijuana clinics, it's the contradiction that hurts.

You can't simultaneously claim that we should be rounding up the staff at a medical marijuana clinic and throwing them all in jail AND that dealing a little coke in college is no big deal.

Frankly, the coke dealing isn't the issue that will hurt Obama -- it's the prominent discussion of medical marijuana that might. Large parts of his base support medical marijuana, and would be less enthusiastic in their support if they were more aware of his record on this issue.

But...

I still wish Trump would butt out. Romney's running an excellent campaign, and the chance of this giving Obama an opportunity to be self-righteous and offended (a role he does really well) for the next two weeks is just too awful to contemplate.

Drudge's last Obama bombshell turned out to be an old video of Barry affecting an urban accent. It slaked my confirmation bias, but otherwise it was a big naught dog (I'm already sick of nothingburgers).

I agree that using, or even selling, coke back in college wouldn't mean much. But what if (hypothetically) he was still using coke, or even just smoking dope, in the Illinois statehouse? In the U.S. Senate? In the White House? And I don't just mean using while he was an elected official, I mean using on state or federal property? Surely something like that would bother at least a few of his supporters?

I saw rumor that it could be divorce papers that were drawn up by Michelle Obama in 2000.

I don't think these would be meaningful at all unless there is an allegation in the papers by Michelle.

If you recall, Obama won his first senate Seat in Illinois (Ryan?) by somehow getting divorce papers for his opponent released even though they were under a court ordered seal. It turned out that the papers revealed that Ryan's wife made allegations of abuse. That sunk Ryan's chances and he dropped out. Obama cruised to an 80% victory launching his career in 2004.

So if they really are divorce papers they should not be released. But if the papers contain allegations of violence, then the public has a right to know.

What would sink him with his liberal base is evidence that the Rev. Wright really did convert him to Christianity. So that he is a crypto-Christian in close touch with W who Obama realized had done a great job when he (Obama)had to confront the same problems. They pray together and discuss the MidEast a couple of times a week. And Obama's Blackberry speed dials Dick Cheney. And Obama has a part of an American flag that flew in battle sewn into a little piece of duct tape he attaches above his heart every day. And he has doubts about central government; he keeps muttering Greece, Greece at night. So he threw the first debate, hoping to save America from the Democrats without losing his own life. But Axelrod suspects.

I agree that using, or even selling, coke back in college wouldn't mean much. But what if (hypothetically) he was still using coke, or even just smoking dope, in the Illinois statehouse? In the U.S. Senate? In the White House? And I don't just mean using while he was an elected official, I mean using on state or federal property? Surely something like that would bother at least a few of his supporters?

Yeah right. And what if Romney was whackin' off in movie theaters. Would that bother his supporters?